The handsome superhero/villain rushed past the pool for a fifth time, slightly less scowly. He spoke with an older man with a military haircut and biceps bigger than her head. When they separated, the older man paused to chat with Cameron for a moment, and then approached her and Grandma.
“This is my friend, Don,” Winnie said to Eliana.
“Hello,” Don said with a sharp nod.
“Is everything okay?” Winnie asked. Grandpa Horace and Smitty swam over to join the conversation.
“Someone parked in Asher’s spot, so I arranged to have the car towed.”
“It’s the out-of-towners coming to use the beach,” Smitty complained. “They think they can park anywhere they want.”
“They’re entitled,” Grandpa said. Eliana shared an amused glance with Grandma. They all sounded a lot like grumpy old men.
Grandpa and Smitty left with Don soon after to make their tee time, and Grandma followed as soon as her lemonade was gone.
Eliana sat at the edge of the pool and stuck her feet in. No amount of Cameron’s tugging on her legs and feet would get her in that pool.
Cameron’s cheeks looked a little too pink. “It’s time to go home, bud.”
He kicked his way over to the other side of the pool instead of getting out.
“Cameron!”
He closed his eyes and splashed around, making happy noises. She let out an exasperated huff. His shoulders had gotten too much sun as well. She should have made him wear his swim shirt.
She stood and walked to the side of the pool where he floated. “Cam, please. We need to go home.”
His eyes had a mischievous glint as he kicked off the wall and glided to the middle of the pool. He wore a life vest, so he could float at any depth. He kicked back and floated on his back, his face tilted toward the sun as if soaking in as much of the rays as he could.
That little stinker. He knew exactly what she wanted him to do. And he knew how to pretend he didn’t understand.
“I don’t want to get in!”
He continued to float, easily ignoring her.
“Cam!”
He covered his mouth as he laughed.
“You’re getting sunburned!” she tried again, but he only laughed harder, his shoulders shaking. He understood most of what was said to him, but he might not understand what she meant by sunburn, or the fact it would sting later.
Amusement warred with annoyance as she kicked off her shoes and pulled off her sundress to reveal her black, high-waisted, two-piece swim suit she never intended to get wet.
She walked to the stairs and dipped her feet in. She held her hair up so it wouldn’t dip into the pool as the water climbed her body.
Okay, this was still salvageable.
Cam’s eyes glinted with excitement when he saw her coming, and he ducked his head into the water. When she got close enough to take his hand, he sprang out of the water like a dolphin and spit out a mouthful of water straight into her face.
“Ew!” She dropped her hair into the pool as she swiped at the spit-water on her face. Her fingers came away dark with make-up.Great. “Cameron, that was not nice.”
Cameron slung his arm around her shoulders, hanging from her like she was a ledge. Her wet hair tangled under his dripping arm.
“Sorry, sorry,” he signed. He brought his face close to hers. “Love you.” She still remembered the first time she’d heard him say I love you when they were kids. She still felt that swell of happiness whenever he said it to her, despite her annoyance.
“Love you too.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist, and used the water’s buoyancy to carry him to the stairs.
